What are my chances for a competitive IM residency?

[Anon1112]

Hello all,

I am currently a third year medical student at a mid-tier institution in the northeast. I have finished about 60% of my rotations and am interested in cardiology. I was wondering if people could give me advice on if I have a shot at some of the top 20 programs in the nation for internal medicine.

Step 1: 250-255
Step 2: Pending aiming for equal or higher than step 1
Third year grades: 2 Honors (Internal medicine is one of the honors), 1 High Pass
Research: 3 abstracts and one co-author publication from undergrad (clinical research), most likely going to take a year for research once I finish third year
ECs: Volunteer at the student clinic and board position in few clubs

Outside of taking the year for research, is there anything else I should try to plan to solidify my chances. I can also PM for more information, just trying to keep things as anonymous as possible. Thank you in advance!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[brownman23]

Get good LoRs during your sub-I, and you’ll be fine. No need to take a research year.

 

[AzBasRad]

If your institution has AOA, work hard to get it. Also Honor your sub-i.

 

[Anon1112]

If your institution has AOA, work hard to get it. Also Honor your sub-i.

That was my main concern. We do have AOA, but my sites for the next few rotations have been notorious for only high passing students. Is not getting AOA a major red flag? I am definitely trying my hardest, but I was told by upperclassmen not to be too optimistic. Thanks for the advice!

 

[Anon1112]

Get good LoRs during your sub-I, and you’ll be fine. No need to take a research year.

I don't have too much to show for research and I assumed that these programs would like an applicant with a significant research background. Thank you for the advice!

 

[AzBasRad]

Getting AOA will be important. Having fluff research + AOA > Having lots of research + no AOA. Refer to your institutions prior match list and look up if those people who matched competitively are in AOA. IM also cares somewhat about activism, although it might be too late to change this. At my low-tier institution, students with >250 step scores + AOA + *some research* + *major activism* matched top 10.

There as a thread that recently discussed AOA in the context of IM residency.

Advantage of School Pedigree on Internal Medicine Residency Matching

What advantage does going to a top 20/10 institution bring when it comes to matching a top IM academic residency?

forums.studentdoctor.net

 

[7331poas]

Getting AOA will be important. Having fluff research + AOA > Having lots of research + no AOA. Refer to your institutions prior match list and look up if those people who matched competitively are in AOA. IM also cares somewhat about activism, although it might be too late to change this. At my low-tier institution, students with >250 step scores + AOA + *some research* + *major activism* matched top 10.

There as a thread that recently discussed AOA in the context of IM residency.

Advantage of School Pedigree on Internal Medicine Residency Matching

What advantage does going to a top 20/10 institution bring when it comes to matching a top IM academic residency?

forums.studentdoctor.net

Are students negatively affected if their school doesnt offer AOA at all in your view?

 

[brownman23]

I don't have too much to show for research and I assumed that these programs would like an applicant with a significant research background. Thank you for the advice!

I think you'll get a few interviews at top 20 places. You likely won't be a "superstar" applicant who bats a .750 for interview invites, but your app seems pretty solid.

Also...I don't see the point of taking a research year so you can increase your chances at matching at a top 20 place. What will a top 20 place give you that's also not there at a top 50? At that point you're losing >$200K for marginal returns.

 

[AzBasRad]

Are students negatively affected if their school doesnt offer AOA at all in your view?

I am not a PD so I can't definitively say.

 

[thatchemguy]

Getting AOA will be important. Having fluff research + AOA > Having lots of research + no AOA. Refer to your institutions prior match list and look up if those people who matched competitively are in AOA. IM also cares somewhat about activism, although it might be too late to change this. At my low-tier institution, students with >250 step scores + AOA + *some research* + *major activism* matched top 10.

There as a thread that recently discussed AOA in the context of IM residency.

Advantage of School Pedigree on Internal Medicine Residency Matching

What advantage does going to a top 20/10 institution bring when it comes to matching a top IM academic residency?

forums.studentdoctor.net

what is "major activism"?

 

[Lawpy]

Research year for IM is unusual. AOA matters

 

[AzBasRad]

what is "major activism"?

Founding a student organization/initiative that engages the underserved communities, organizing a conference at your institution that addresses health inequalities, serving in statewide or nationwide leardership positions and pushing meaningful ideas would count as "major activism". Serving as the VP/secretary/treasurer of a community service organization or mentoring students are fairly common and thus I would not personally count as "major".

 

[Lawpy]

Founding a student organization/initiative that engages the underserved communities, organizing a conference at your institution that addresses health inequalities, serving in statewide or nationwide leardership positions and pushing meaningful ideas would count as "major activism". Serving as the VP/secretary/treasurer of a community service organization or mentoring students are fairly common and thus I would not personally count as "major".

Are you really sure that's a big deal? Because those types of activism only works best for the students who have actually experienced them at a very personal level. Engaging with underserved communities only reliably works if someone is from that community. That's why URMs engaging in that type of activist work is essential and reliable. A lot of activism generally doesn't come off as sincere or reliable especially if it's viewed as a checkbox item as implied in this thread.

Most med students are from wealthy backgrounds. Their activism reads off as insincere vs a low SES student discussing about health inequities.

 

[AzBasRad]

Most med students are from wealthy backgrounds. Their activism reads off as insincere vs a low SES student discussing about health inequities.

Quite the opposite actually. It speaks volumes when you come from a wealthy/different background and choose to engage the underserved in meaningful ways. Again the level of involvement is important. Last year, a non-LGBTQ student who co-founded a student organization and meaningfully engaged the transgender community got interviews in multiple top 10 IM programs. He did not have any connections to the trans community but wanted to take action.

This year, some of my peers in AOA who have similarly engaged the underserved in major ways have received t20 IM interviews where their activism was brought by interviewers. I am not even applying IM but recently attended a Yale Prelim IM presentation, where the PD explicitly lauded the activism of their resident class.

 

[thatchemguy]

Quite the opposite actually. It speaks volumes when you come from a wealthy/different background and choose to engage the underserved in meaningful ways. Again the level of involvement is important. Last year, a non-LGBTQ student who co-founded a student organization and meaningfully engaged the transgender community got interviews in multiple top 10 IM programs. He did not have any connections to the trans community but wanted to take action.

This year, some of my peers in AOA who have similarly engaged the underserved in major ways have received t20 IM interviews where their activism was brought by interviewers. I am not even applying IM but recently attended a Yale Prelim IM presentation, where the PD explicitly lauded the activism of their resident class.

Welp, I'll have to settle for top 50 IM instead then

 

[Lawpy]

Quite the opposite actually. It speaks volumes when you come from a wealthy/different background and choose to engage the underserved in meaningful ways. Again the level of involvement is important. Last year, a non-LGBTQ student who co-founded a student organization and meaningfully engaged the transgender community got interviews in multiple top 10 IM programs. He did not have any connections to the trans community but wanted to take action.

This year, some of my peers in AOA who have similarly engaged the underserved in major ways have received t20 IM interviews where their activism was brought by interviewers. I am not even applying IM but recently attended a Yale Prelim IM presentation, where the PD explicitly lauded the activism of their resident class.

... that's surprising but oddly reassuring in a way. Thanks for this